Nick Van Exel's assertion that the officials took Game 2 from the Mavericks didn't sit well with some of the Spurs.

"People always make excuses when they lose," guard Stephen Jackson said. "I don't think that's the type of team we are. We never blamed it on the refs. When we lose, we lost because we didn't play well. He can say what he wants. We felt we played well enough to win."

The Mavericks were in constant foul trouble in losing Game 2, 119-106. The Spurs shot 45 free throws to the Mavericks' 22. The Mavericks also were hit with five individual technical fouls, including the ejections of coach Don Nelson and assistant Del Harris.

"Somebody else took the game from us," Van Exel said afterward. "It had nothing to do with what the Spurs did."